


Ghost Girl

by starrystorms



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Adoption, Angst, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Heavy Angst, Kid Fic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Psychological Trauma, because this is going to be a wild ride
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-07-29 18:52:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7695472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrystorms/pseuds/starrystorms
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nora Darhk grew up knowing her life wasn’t some dictionary definition of normal, but it was her life. Now it is up in smoke, and she doesn’t know how to survive. She’s being thrust into a new world with new people, and she has no idea which way is up anymore.</p><p>In an attempt to right some of her wrongs, Felicity - and by extension Oliver - adopts a little girl with more issues than she can fathom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First, major thanks go to tumblr's @yellowflicker09011996 and @iwant8hoursofsleep. They pushed me and encouraged me to write this story. 
> 
> Second, this story is not finished, so I will be updating as I write. Real life obligations may interfere with writing, so I ask that everyone be patient with me. If anyone wants to stop by and talk on tumblr, I'm @reveureterrant. I'll try and post writing updates there from time to time. 
> 
> Last, please let me know what you think, and enjoy the story!

The sixth time Nora moves, it’s not to a different city or state or country, but to a different house (because she hasn’t had a _home_ in years). She’s used to the whole moving process at this point, but everything is different this time. This time, she’s alone.

“You can go in, you know,” a voice says from behind her. 

Nora pushes her hair out of her face to see the blonde woman walking up to the door. She’s…nice. Nora doesn’t know what to do with nice.

 She nods her head minutely and pushes the door open slowly. She grabs her school back and suitcase (how can her life fit into such _small_ spaces?) and steps through the door. She steps to the side to let the woman in behind her.

 The blonde steps inside and locks to door before dropping her keys on a coffee table. She sits on a couch and motions for Nora to join her. Nora makes her way over slowly, clutching her backpack and suitcase in a death grip. She rolls her suitcase up to the edge of the couch but does not release her backpack. When Nora is seated on the couch, the blonde woman turns to face her.

 She smiles reassuringly and reaches out to squeeze Nora’s shoulder – try to provide what little comfort she can – but Nora shrinks away from the touch. The woman tries to hide her frown at the action, but Nora can see it anyway. “I don’t know if anyone told you, but my name is Felicity,” she says softly.

 Nora nods. The blonde woman – _Felicity_ – hesitates. “Do you…do you remember the last time you were here?”

 Nora closes her eyes against the onslaught of memories. Another woman, holding an arrow to her throat, threatening to kill her. Her life in her father’s hands – and the doubt that he would choose her.

 Nora nods again, eyes still closed. Felicity sits next to her and waits for the other girl to look back at her. “I know all of this change is sudden, and you might not know what’s going on, but if you ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable here, I want you to tell me, okay?”

 Felicity is staring at Nora intently, and Nora knows she is being sincere. The thought makes her itch, so she looks away. “Nora,” Felicity implores.

 “Okay,” she says quietly, still looking away from Felicity. She hears Felicity let out a sigh. It’s different from the way her parents used to sound – annoyed, aggravated, distant, distracted. She’s not sure what Felicity is thinking. She doesn’t like not knowing.

 The moonlight glints of a broken piece of glass that someone must have missed from…earlier, and Nora turns to stare at it.

Jagged, sharp, broken. _Small._ Nora definitely knows how that feels.

* * *

 

Nora’s first morning in Felicity’s house is quiet. It reminds her of Before, of mornings with her parents. Still mornings that were unhurried and quiet conversations over breakfast come to mind, but Nora squeezes her eyes shut against those thoughts. In an effort to ignore some of the pleasant memories that are bubbling to the surface, she sits up in bed to look around.

She hazily recalls being directed to this room last night. Felicity had said it was a guest room and was almost always empty. She remembers thinking Felicity had looked like she wanted to say more, but she had been too tired to ferret it out. Instead she had stepped into the room softly. Her suitcase, which she had wordlessly refused Felicity’s offer to carry it for her, was left at the foot of her bed. Her backpack was set next to it. She looked at the bed before staring at her shorts and t-shirt critically and decided _screw it, it’s not like they’re here to yell and me if I don’t put pajamas on._

Now that she’s more awake, she realizes that the bed is way too large for her eleven-year-old body. She runs her fingers across the cotton sheets, enjoying the softness against her fingertips, and looks at the clock that is facing her from the nightstand.

10:24 blinks back her, and she has to swallow the instant rush of panic that swells in her chest. Her body is urging her to get up ( _getupgetupgetupgetup_ ), to not be late for breakfast, but she knows it’s futile. Her breath stutters out in a staccato beat as she stares unwaveringly at the clock.

What would her father say? 

It ticks to 10:25. Her breath comes a little faster. Her chest tightens. She can’t breathe.

10:26. _Don’t be mad._

10:27. _I’m sorry. I was tired. It won’t happen again._ She still can’t breathe.

10:28. Her stomach grumbles, and she urges it to be quiet.

10:29. She finally blinks and her immediate view of the clock is obstructed, but she can still feel the seconds counting up in her head, taunting her ( _tick-tock, tick-tock – you can’t catch me_ ).

Thirteen seconds before 10:30, there is a knock on her door. She doesn’t hear it. “Nora, are you awake?” a voice calls softly. She recognizes the voice.

 _Felicity_ , a voice whispers. _Safe?_ she questions, gasping for breath even in her mind. The voice doesn’t answer, and Nora shoves the sob lodged in her chest down.

 She must unwittingly garble out some kind of answer because Felicity opens her door, gentle smile in place. Nora chances a glance at the clock. 10:32. “I’m sorry,” she gasps into the still room. The words bounce around her brain, and they’re all she can hear.

 Felicity frowns. Nora can’t place the frown. Even though it’s been years since she was late, she can never remember her parents looking at her like that. Her father especially would look disappointed, but he never once looked this confused (she doubted confusion was a feeling he experienced at all, actually).

 She doesn’t understand why Felicity is looking at her like that, and the ignorance makes her skin itch. She pulls her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them to keep from scratching.

 “Nora,” Felicity intones carefully. “Why are you sorry?”

 “I was late.” She squeezes her eyes shut so she won’t have to look at the confusing frown on Felicity’s face. It almost appears sad, but Nora knows that can’t be right. She squeezes her eyes so tightly lights burst behind her eyelids.

  _Phosphenes_ , she thinks frantically, trying to latch onto something familair, _to see light where there is none._

 “Nora, do you think I’m mad at you?”

 She pauses. Her muscles tense.

 “Nora, sweetie, please open your eyes.” Felicity’s words seem soft and gentle, so she slowly blinks them open. She looks into Felicity’s blue eyes and only sees warmth and concern. Felicity motions to the edge of the bed. “Is it okay if I sit there?”

 Nora bites her lip but nods; she doesn’t know what a straight out denial would bring, and she isn’t willing to find out. She still edges backwards until she is almost sitting on the pillows and the head of the bed, despite how much space was already between her and Felicity. Felicity is much more successful at hiding the pained look on her face at Nora’s actions than she was last night, but Nora still catches the tightening around the edges of her eyes.

 “I’m going to tell you something very important,” Felicity informs her seriously, tone solemn but not punishing. Nora wants to look away from her gaze, but there’s something so kind lurking there. “So I want you to listen very carefully. Are you listening?”

 Nora nods slowly, still entranced by Felicity’s eyes. The emotion she can see in her eyes is vastly different from any she had ever seen in her mother’s or father’s eyes.

 “I am not mad at you.”

 Nora blinks, tilts her head to the side. Her dark hair falls into her face, but she ignores it. _It’s a trick_ , the voice from before whispers in her ear, _it has to be_.

  _I think you’re right_ , she whispers back, _but she looks so_ nice.

 _That doesn’t mean anything_ , it tells her, and Nora knows it is right. She doesn’t believe Felicity, but she won’t admit to it. Contradiction is never a good idea, especially first thing in the morning. It can make for a very long day.

“Nora,” Felicity says, and she startles, unaware her gaze had slipped. “Why do you think I’m mad at you?”

“I was late,” she whispers.

She can see a war in Felicity’s eyes but can’t see who is fighting. “Why is that a bad thing?” she asks.

Nora shrugs. She hears her father’s reprimand in the back of her mind ( _“Words, Nora. You aren’t a child, so stop acting so infantile.”_ ) and scrambles to voice her thoughts. “Sometimes,” she says slowly, “when I’m late, I miss breakfast.”

She hears Felicity’s sharp intake of breath but doesn’t break eye contact. She remembers, once, when she was nine or so, her father took her through a similar exercise. She remembers it so vividly because she thought she would be forgiven this time, but he had given her a sharp smile and told her that breakfast was no longer being served. She had better wake up on time tomorrow. “I know there’s no more breakfast,” she tells Felicity confidantly, determined not to fall for the same trap twice. “It’s okay, I’m not even hungry.” Her voice threatens to waver, but she puts every ounce of willpower she possesses into keeping it steady.

When Nora scans Felicity eyes, eager to see if she has passed this test, she only sees sadness and resolve. She falters, suddenly scared. Did she mess up? What happened? Why doesn’t Felicity look proud?

“Well,” Felicity says brusquely, standing from the bed. “You’re right, there is no breakfast.” Nora pushes down the disappointment in favor of the relief at not having to play anymore, but Felicity doesn’t leave. “We do, however, serve brunch in this house, and you are welcome to come eat whenever you like. I’m not the best in the kitchen, but if you let me know what you want, I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.”

Nora feels her mouth drop open, and Felicity gives her a warm smile. Distantly, Nora makes a mental note that she smiles a lot. It’s weird, but she shrugs it off. Nora unwraps her arms from around her knees and straightens her legs, but she doesn’t move beyond that. She is…puzzled. She knows what brunch is – she’s seen movies and watched TV and read books – but it has never been something her parents indulged in or let her indulge in.

“Brunch?” she asks Felicity with a frown. She pushes her hair behind her ear and waits to see what this strange, always-smiling woman will say.

“Yes,” Felicity says with forced cheer. “Like I said, I can’t do anything fancy, so I’m sorry” – why is she apologizing to Nora? – “about that, but I can do basic things. Scrambled eggs, nothing special. I think I might have some pre-made batter and a waffle iron?” she offers. “Oh, and I should have some fruit somewhere,” she says the last bit to herself, but Nora still feels her lips tick upward.

“May I have waffles?” she asks hesitantly. This still sounds like a trick, but Nora can feel the pinching pain in her stomach that is telling her to ignore the voice of reason in her head.

Felicity perks up. “Absolutely. You can even help make them, if you want.”

“That sounds…nice.”

Nora crawls to edge of the bed before swinging her legs over the side. She watches her legs hang in midair before sliding down. She nods at Felicity and receives another smile in return.

Hooking her thumb at Nora’s bags, Felicity says, “Why don’t you change into some comfy clothes while I go get everything set up? Then you can meet me downstairs in the kitchen.”

Nora looks at her suitcase and backpack, then back at Felicity haltingly. What if Felicity changes her mind and decides Nora can’t have brunch while she’s changing? Is that that trick?

“I promise I’ll still let you help,” Felicity assures. Nora can see hints of uncertainty in Felicity’s eyes, her shoulder relax and she nods.

“Okay,” Nora tells Felicity.

Even if the waffles are trick, even if everything about this nice woman and her smiles is a test, even if she fails – Nora thinks she’ll be okay.

She hopes.  


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm overwhelmed by the response to the first chapter! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it, and I appreciated the comments and kudos. 
> 
> I got stuck trying to write the second chapter, and a friend reminded me that the story didn't only have one way to be told. So this will still be mostly linear, but there will be time jumps between chapters. I'll try to tell you guys how far. Chapter Two is only a week or two after the first chapter.

Nora is reading a book of Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales while Felicity is working on her computer. Nora's not sure what she's doing, but it seems very important judging by the furious pace of Felicity's typing. The laptop is balanced precariously on her lap, tilting every so often when Felicity gets a little overzealous with her typing. Nora keeps shooting her little glances from her end of the couch, distracted from her borrowed book.

  
(These habits have become so routine that they really do have sides of the couch. Felicity has been kind enough so far not to mention Nora's habit of sitting in such a way that she can see almost the entire room without moving.)

  
When Felicity turns her way, she quickly returns her gaze to "The Phoenix Bird". She's been reading the same line over and over again, can't get past it: _The bird perished in the flames; but from the red egg in the nest there fluttered aloft a new one—the one solitary Phoenix bird_. It hits a little to closely to home for Nora.

  
"Everything okay?" Felicity asks, pausing her typing.

  
Nora's gaze meets Felicity's, but her eyes quickly slide past the other woman. "Yeah," she answers shortly.

  
Even though she's not looking at Felicity, she can imagine the single-eyebrow raised and the thinly disguised concern that must be on her face. "Is there anything you want to talk about?" Felicity prods gently.

  
Nora pauses but shakes her head. She traces the gilded edges of the book - a fancy illustrated first edition - quietly.

  
"If you're sure," Felicity says after a moment. She types for another minute or two and closes her laptop. She bites her lips like she wants to say something but isn't sure how. It's something Nora has noticed she does very often. "So, I had an idea last night," she begins, setting her laptop on the coffee table and turning to face Nora. "How do you feel about getting out of the loft, maybe going to the bookstore for a little while? I know you've been reading a lot, but pretty soon you'll have read everything I own," she says ruefully but not meanly.

  
(Nora's noticed that Felicity is rarely ever mean if she can help it.)

  
Nora glances at the clock reflexively. It's just past noon, and they already had lunch, so she doesn't see the problem in going to the store. Nothing else is planned for the day, so they shouldn't be missing anything important. "Okay."

  
"Great!" Felicity smiles brightly, clapping her hands together. The actions jolts her laptop, which is dangerously close to falling. Felicity picks it up quickly, carefully placing it on the coffee table in front of the couch. "There's this great little used bookstore about three blocks from here. Do you mind walking?"

  
Nora shakes her head mutely, mind already racing. She can feel little butterflies flittering in her stomach, and she resists the urge to smile.

* * *

_Nate's Book Shoppe_ is scrawled in elegant script on poster board attached to the front door. The sign above the store has worn away, so Nora can only make out a few letters, hence the poster.

  
She follows Felicity into the store, breathing in the familiar scents. She can smell hints of old books and ink, wrapping around her comfortingly.

  
The thing Nora has learned about books is that they don't change, they're reliable, and Nora has always been able to depend on them. With that in mind, she tugs on the edge of Felicity's sleeve.

  
"Is everything okay?"

  
"Yeah," Nora nods, a small smile playing at the edges of her lips. She shuffles her feet, not sure how to ask her question. Her father had always let her get as many books as she wished, but she doesn't know if Felicity will be okay with that. "How - how many books can I get?" she asks finally. She prepares herself to be told she can only get one - or that this whole trip was another test.

  
Felicity's brow furrows, and Nora frowns. Did she say the wrong thing again? "Oh, uh, how ever many you want? Within reason, though. We wouldn't want to call a moving truck in to get the books back," she jokes.

  
Nora nods acceptingly. When an older gentleman comes over to greet Felicity - they know each other by name, and Nora decides Felicity must come here often - Nora makes a beeline for the shelves of books that seem to stretch across her entire vision. A genuine smile lights her face as she runs her fingers gently across the red spine of a well-worn book.   
It's soft and leathery to the touch, but it must be old because Nora can't read the title on the spine. She pulls the book from the shelf nimbly, flipping open the hardcover to see the title inside.

  
_Doctor Faustus_ by Christopher Marlowe is inked carefully on the inside by hand, and Nora runs her fingertip where pages have obviously been torn out. It hurts her soul to see these missing pieces, but this book has obviously been so loved.

  
(Somewhere in her head, Nora acknowledges she so desperately yearns for that feeling.)

  
She tucks the book gently under her arm before moving on to look at some of the other books. She weaves in and out of the stacks, eyes on the titles. She's waiting for something to catch her eye when she slams into another body.

  
Her arms fly out in front of her, trying to protect her from an incoming blow, and _Doctor Faustus_ tumbles to the floor.

  
"I'm so sorry!" a girl calls out. Nora pushes her hair out of her eyes and scoops up her book.

  
"I'm sorry, I didn't see you. I wasn't paying attention," Nora says, ignoring the other girl's apology. She is moving to step around this girl when her hand reaches out to grasp Nora's arm lightly.

  
"No, it was my fault," she says kindly, and Nora lifts her gaze. Green eyes stare back at her, smiling despite the mishap. "Uh, my name's Astrid, by the way," she says, offering her hand.

  
Nora stares at it uncomfortably for a minute before shifting the Doctor more securely under her arm to shake Astrid's hand. Astrid's eyes crinkle at Nora warmly, and Nora can feel her lips stretching into a smile without conscious thought.

  
"What's your name?" Astrid asks after a few beats of silence.

  
"Nora," she says quietly, still smiling gently.

  
Astrid repeats her name a few times and smiles. "It sounds pretty," she says matter-of-fact, like it would be impossible to dispute. "What book are you getting?"

  
Nora glances at the word red book before looking back at Astrid. She bites her lip indecisively. "Doctor Faustus," she answer clearly, voice still soft.

  
Astrid smiles, and something in her face remind Nora of Felicity. "Oh, that's cool. I haven't read that one," she says blithely. "Is your mom gonna let you get more books? Because we just got a bunch of books from this other woman, said she need more room in her apartment, I think - I can't really remember because who would ever want to get rid of book? But I can show you what she brought if you want," Astrid tells her, whispering the last sentence conspiratorially.

  
Nora blinks in the wake of the sheer volume of what was just said. It takes her a few seconds to parse through what Astrid has said. "Felicity isn't my mother," she says. Nora can see Astrid's face flicker in confusion, but she doesn't ask anything. Nora appreciates that. "And she said I could get as many books as I wanted, within reason," Nora recites.

  
Astrid shoots her a grin and grips her hand. "There's no reasoning when it comes to books," she tells her confidently, "but that means I can show you all the new - well, new to us - books!"

  
Nora follows Astrid, a little bewildered, but willing to see what happens.

  
Astrid leads her through the stack of books confidently, and Nora catches glimpses of colorful covers. Astrid stops suddenly in front of a set of doors and turns to Nora. "We always put the new stuff in the back so we can sort it," Astrid tells her. She pushes the door open carefully, checking to make sure no one is watching. "Grandpa Nate doesn't really like customers back here, but it's okay because you're with me," she confides, leading Nora through the door. When both girls are inside the room, she closes the door gently before turning excitedly to Nora. "Are you ready?"

  
Nora tilts her head at Astrid, unsure what she should be preparing for. "For what?"

  
"Magic," Astrid says, reaching over to flip the lights on.

  
Nora watches at the overhead lights flicker before finally staying on, and Nora finds herself staring at a stairwell. She doesn't know what is so magical about a set of stairs, but she can feel the energy radiating off of Astrid. Giving the other girl the benefit of the doubt, she follows Astrid down the stairs.

  
The basement comes into view in bits and pieces. The first thing Nora senses is the smell. It smells like she has imagined Hogwarts would - old books and parchment and a little bit of magic.

  
When they reach the bottom of the staircase, Nora takes in the books that are scattered across the basement floor. Unlike the open floor plan upstairs, there are columns and intricately built shelves scattered across the room. In between each column, there are shelves, some of which look as if they have been built by hand. Some of the columns even have things etched into them, but Nora is too far away to see what these things may be. She does begin to wonder what this place was before it became a store.

  
"Wow," she murmurs to herself, taking in the labyrinthine structure.

  
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Astrid asks, though Nora suspects she isn't looking for an answer. There's a sparkle in the other girl's eyes that feels infectious, and Nora can feel a grin beginning to stretch across her face.

  
"I like it," she declares softly, almost stubbornly. This room feels so untouched by all the darkness in her life, and it feels ethereal. Part of Nora wants to disappear between these stacks and live among her favorite characters forever.

  
Astrid laughs, a musical sounds that almost has Nora joining. "So, I know it's kind of crazy, but there's one book I wanted to show you." She begins to weave in and out of the stacks, and Nora follows gracefully. She pushes her hair back from her eyes as she stares up in wonder at the books around her. Some of the stacks - and there are stacks of books not even on shelves, the whole room gives off the effect of overflowing with books - are taller than she is.

  
Astrid eventually stops in front of a plastic box marked NEW - USED.

  
"Ah-ha!" she says gleefully. She flashes a bright smile at Nora and reaches into the box, pulling out a book that looks like it has never even been used. "The lady who brought it said her niece or whatever didn't like it, but it's one of my favorite. I thought...you might like to read it?" Astrid asks, suddenly bashful. She peers at Nora through her lashes, and Nora balances _Doctor Faustus_ on the edge of the bin to take it from her.

  
_The Book Thief_. She flips the book over to read the synopsis, and she can feel tears prickling at her eyes.   
Astrid frowns. "You don't like it?" she asks.

  
Nora takes a shuddering breath but doesn't say anything. After a beat, Astrid tries again. "Are you sad?" she asks tentatively, obviously a little confused.

  
Nora shakes her head mutely, still clutching Liesel's story in her hands. Already, she doesn't want to let go.

  
"Oh. Are they...happy tears? My sister sometimes cries when she's really happy."

  
Nora thinks for a minute before nodding slowly. She blinks back the tears before looking up at Astrid. "Thank you," she says sincerely. "I really like it."

  
Astrid smiles this time. She starts forward but stops suddenly. "Is it...would you like a hug?" she asks, voice just a little desperate.

  
Nora is on the verge of shaking her head and saying no, but the past minutes - hours, even? Nora's not sure, it feels like time had stopped the moment she stepped into the store - have been drastically different than the last weeks and years or her life. So, instead, she nods once, decisively.

  
Astrid wraps long arms around Nora, unperturbed when Nora doesn't return the hug. Nora clutches The Book Thief to her chest, floundering at the actions of this strange little girl.

* * *

 

When Felicity finally catches sight of Nora again, the dark-haired girl is clutching three books to her chest and walking to the checkout counter. Felicity's picks are already scanned and waiting to be taken back to the loft. She smiles at Nora and reaches down to take the books from her. Nora relinquishes the books reluctantly, and Felicity smiles in reassurance.

  
"I'll give them back as soon as we've paid for them, okay?"

  
Nora seems comforted and nods, but she watches Nate like a hawk as he handles her books.

  
The older gentlemen lets out a low whistle when he catches the titles. One is a book of poetry, something Nora had found on the way back from her excursion with Astrid. "Oh, this one is stunning, my dear," he says, waving _The Book Thief_ at her. "You have a good reader here, Miss Felicity," he says warmly when he reaches _Doctor Faustus_.

  
When has finishes ringing the books up, and gives Felicity the total. "It was nice talking to you again, Mr. Nate," Felicity says when she hands the money over.

  
"It was," he grins jovially. "You two come back anytime, okay?" Felicity nods and hands Nora her books back.   
Nora waves her fingers at the older man as they leave the store, and Felicity doesn't even try to hide her smile at the girl's actions.

  
When they're back on the street, Felicity smiles down at Nora. "So did you enjoy the store? It's always been one of my favorites."

  
Nora is silent for a minute, but she finally nods. "Yes. Thank you for taking me," she tells Felicity, even giving her a hesitant smile.

  
_Progress_ , Felicity thinks, doing a mental fist pump. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, and we can go back anytime you like."

  
Nora hums contentedly, and Felicity smiles to herself. At least she seems to have gotten this one thing right so far.   



End file.
